Aquariums in the West

Don't like squeezing into a wet suit? No matter. At the following aquariums, you can view life underwater without suiting up.

Aquarium of the Bay
San Francisco. A moving walkway takes you through 300 feet of clear tunnel surrounded by the Bay's inhabitants, like the leopard shark, whose numbers have been depleted by pollution. (888) 732-3483, www.aquariumofthebay.com[2].

Aquarium of the Pacific
Long Beach, Calif. Get close to the Pacific's denizens, from giant Japanese spider crabs in icy waters to thick-lipped humphead wrasses puttering around a Palauan rock island. (562) 590-3100, www.aquariumofpacific.org[3].

Birch Aquarium at Scripps
San Diego. Interact with displays inspired by research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The Ocean Supermarket reveals what sea ingredients your favorite products contain. (858) 534-3474, www.aquarium.ucsd.edu[4].

Oregon Coast Aquarium
Newport. Watch an improvised ballet by a jellyfish ensemble, see a sea otter get frisky, or walk through a tunnel where sharks and skates swim all around you. (541) 867-3474,www.aquarium.org[7].

Seattle Aquarium
Lootas, a frolicking 4-year-old sea otter, has celebrity status with visitors, but the sturgeon, mighty chinook salmon, and ugly-faced wolf eels also put on a great show in an underwater dome. (206) 386-4320,www.seattleaquarium.org[8].

Shark Reef
Las Vegas. Set in a sunken ancient temple worthy of Indiana Jones, this aquarium abounds with dangerous creatures—from a water monitor known to unearth corpses to a highly venomous stonefish. (702) 632-4555, www.mandalaybay.com[9].

Photography courtesy of Fred Hsu/Wikipedia

This article was first published in March 2002. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.